1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical connector for use in the field of optical communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In connecting optical fibers, it is important to suppress increases in optical loss and reflection brought about by the connection. For this reason, in final polishing for the connecting end face of an optical connector, it is necessary to minimize damages, such as layers changed in properties by the processing or scratches, to the end face of a fiber. Therefore, regular final polishing makes use of a polishing method using a free abrasive, in which polishing is performed by spraying cerium oxide abrasive grains on a polisher which is a relatively soft tool.
In connecting optical connectors, on the other hand, a matching agent with a refractive index close to the refractive index of the core of an optical fiber is interposed between the connecting end faces of optical connectors, in order that no gap is formed between the end faces of optical fibers when the fibers are brought into contact with each other. This ensures the continuity of the refractive indices of the cores of the optical fibers, thereby suppressing the optical loss and the reflection.
In the polishing method using a free abrasive, however, variations are caused in the amount of polishing at the connector end faces or the flatness of the connecting end face of an optical connector decreases due to the difference in hardness between the material of the ferrule of an optical connector and the material of an optical fiber or due to the softness of a polisher. In addition, the efficiency of polishing is very low in this method.
Also, if a matching agent is interposed between the connecting end faces of optical connectors in connecting the optical connectors, the amount of the matching agent decreases with time owing to, e.g., evaporation. This degrades the long-term reliability of the effect of suppressing an optical loss and reflection. When this is taken into consideration, it is necessary to be able to make a PC (Physical Contact) connection between optical fibers themselves.